Bible: Judges 8:22-32

Gideon Rejects a Crown but Makes an Ephod

8:22The menof IsraelsaidtoGideon, “Rule over us – you, your son, and your grandson. For you have delivered us from Midian’s power.”18:23Gideonsaidtothem, “Iwill notruleover you, norwill my sonruleover you. The Lordwill ruleover you.”8:24Gideoncontinued,2 “I would like to make one request. Eachof you giveme anearringfrom the plunderyou have taken.”3 (The Midianites4 had goldearringsbecausetheywere Ishmaelites.)8:25They said, “We are happy to giveyouearrings.”5 So they6 spreadout a garment, and each onethrewan earringfrom his plunderonto it.8:26The total weightof the goldearringshe requestedcame to seventeen hundredgoldshekels.7 This was in addition tothe crescent-shaped ornaments, jewelry,8purpleclothingworn bythe Midianitekings, and the necklaceson the camels.98:27Gideonused all this to make10an ephod,11which he putin his hometownof Ophrah. Allthe Israelites12prostitutedthemselvesto it by worshiping it13 there. It becamea snareto Gideonand his family.